Where are we going?
- Official trail and land-manager information
- Distance, elevation, water, camps, and alternates
- Permits, access, closures, and transportation
Plan a trip
Make the assumptions visible.
A useful trek plan is not a script. It is a shared picture of the route, the crew, the conditions, and the decisions you may need to make.
The one-page trek plan
Six questions before you go
If the crew cannot explain the plan simply, it is not yet a shared plan.
Who is this trip for?
- Experience, fitness, health, and comfort
- Crew size and leadership roles
- Shared expectations for pace and purpose
What will the day require?
- Start, turnaround, arrival, and daylight
- Moving pace plus climbs, breaks, and activities
- Decision points if the crew falls behind
What keeps the crew moving?
- Shelter, sleep, clothing, water, kitchen, and hygiene
- Personal versus shared equipment owners
- Backup for critical single-point failures
How will we sustain the day?
- Known water sources and treatment method
- Tested meals matched to fuel and cookware
- Accessible trail food and a small reserve
What if the plan breaks?
- Trip plan held by a responsible person
- Communication limits and escalation steps
- Exit routes, first-aid capability, and emergency shelter
Field-tested structure
What a real expedition plan reveals
A 12-day Philmont plan from Bill’s files did more than list camps. It connected crew assignments, travel, daily mileage, elevation, programs, food pickups, shared equipment, medical readiness, and emergency communication. The details are dated and private; the planning architecture is timeless.
Use Philmont’s current planning information ↗- Every day has a destination.It also has terrain, workload, opportunities, and consequences.
- Every shared item has an owner.“The crew has it” is not an assignment.
- Every plan needs decision points.Define when to continue, adjust, turn around, or seek help.
Current references